The liver is an organ in the belly that helps remove waste products from the blood. Your child had a liver laceration, which means some of the liver tissue was separated. 

Your child stayed in the hospital for treatment. The health care team had your child rest and watched them carefully for any problems from the liver laceration. Your child is doing well, and you can now care for them at home. Follow your health care team instructions to treat your child's pain and prevent another injury to the liver.

Follow your health care provider's instructions for:

• Giving any pain medicines, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol^® or a store brand). Follow the package directions for how much to give and how often.
• Any medicines to avoid. 
• When your child can go back to school, gym class, and sports.
• Any activities or sports your child needs to avoid and for how long (for example, riding a bike or playing contact sports).
• When to follow up.

• Your child:
  • Still has pain after following the health care provider's instructions
  • Feels sick to their stomach or vomits
  • Gets a fever
• You have questions about what activities are OK for your child.

Your child:

• Has severe belly or back pain
• Gets a swollen belly
• Vomits more than a few times
• Injures the belly again
• Looks pale or feels faint or drowsy
• Has a yellow discoloration of the skin or whites of the eyes

How do liver lacerations happen? Most liver lacerations in kids happen from a forceful blow to the upper belly from an object (for example, a bicycle handlebar) or from a car or an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) accident. 

How long do liver lacerations take to heal? It depends on how severe the laceration was. Some liver lacerations can take 6 months or more to heal.